This time last year, prognosticators wondered aloud whether another college football team would ever run the table again. Sure, Michigan did it in 2023, but that was in the four-team College Football Playoff. Now, in the 12-team era (and perhaps soon a 24-team format), there are more games and more parity, theoretically making perfection unattainable.
That went out the window when Indiana — yes, Indiana — went 16-0 and won its first national championship. Thank you, Curt Cignetti and Co. for proving it is possible. Now, can another team replicate the Hoosiers’ success?
Twenty-two teams are unbeaten through four weeks. That’s fewer than there were at this point a season ago when 30 teams were still undefeated. (On the other side of that coin, four teams are still winless.)
Athlon Sports broke down the remaining schedules of the 22 teams without a loss to predict when — or if — they might drop their first game.
No. 1 Texas (4-0)
Nov. 14 at No. 11 LSU
The Longhorns’ remaining schedule is a gauntlet. Five of their final eight games are against top-25 teams, and the other three are rivalry games against Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas A&M. Texas has the talent to handle such a stretch, though. The Longhorns’ recent success in the Red River Rivalry and the momentum of a 12-game home winning streak should keep them unscathed for the next month. Keep an eye on that late-season trip to Death Valley, though. The Tigers could be the team that finally topples Texas.
No. 2 Georgia (4-0)
Oct. 10 at No. 7 Alabama
By SEC standards, the Bulldogs’ next eight games are a breeze. Only half of their opponents are ranked, but there are some potential landmines. Rival Florida is playing its best ball in years. And a week later Georgia plays at Ole Miss, which has given it trouble lately. But the game to watch is when the Bulldogs go to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama has beaten Georgia at least once each of the last three years, and quarterback Keelon Russell has the Crimson Tide rolling.
No. 3 Notre Dame (4-0)
College Football Playoff
The Fighting Irish are a prohibitive favorite to make the CFP. That’s because they are favored to win every game the rest of the way, even with three top-25 teams left to play. Notre Dame should survive a trip to BYU and withstand a visit from SMU. Understandably, there’s a ton of attention on the Miami game after the turn the rivalry took last season. But with that game in South Bend, the Irish should return the favor. And if they can beat the Hurricanes, they can run the table on their path to the playoff.
No. 4 Miami (4-0)
Nov. 7 at No. 3 Notre Dame
Based on the last blurb, you knew this was coming. The Hurricanes should roll into South Bend undefeated. Neither Clemson nor Florida State is what it once was. Miami should have no problem handling Pitt at home or North Carolina on the road the following week. That brings us to the Notre Dame game. The ‘Canes have lost their last three trips to South Bend, and the Irish have a year’s worth of pent-up anger to let loose after last season’s playoff snub.
No. 6 Indiana (4-0)
Oct. 16 vs. No. 5 Ohio State
The Hoosiers had a bit of a scare last Friday against Northwestern, but they hung on to win their 20th consecutive game. Road trips to Rutgers and Nebraska shouldn’t trip up the defending champs, though the Cornhuskers might be 5-0 by the time they play. The Big Ten championship rematch against Ohio State could end IU’s run. The Buckeyes have little margin for error after their loss to Texas, and they’re eager to exact revenge on the Hoosiers after their first loss in the series since 1988.
© David Leong-Imagn Images
No. 7 Alabama (4-0)
Oct. 17 at No. 17 Tennessee
After years of the Crimson Tide having the upper hand in this rivalry, the Volunteers have won the last two iterations of the Third Saturday in October in Knoxville. Alabama’s next two games against Mississippi State and Georgia will prove challenging, and this is a letdown spot after a pair of big wins. Tennessee also almost beat top-ranked Texas at home last time out. Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon will be rolling by the halfway point of the season.
- Related: Alabama’s Keelon Russell and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor are Efficiency Monsters
No. 8 Florida (4-0)
Oct. 17 at No. 1 Texas
The Gators are off to their best start this decade and are gunning for their first top-25 road win since 2018 this weekend against Missouri. Assuming they get past the Tigers and defeat South Carolina in the Swamp, that will set up what could be a top-five clash between undefeated teams in Austin. Florida upset the Longhorns in Gainesville a season ago in one of the season’s more stunning results. That result will be hard to repeat at Darrell K. Royal Stadium, where Texas is tough to beat.
No. 10 BYU (3-0)
Oct. 17 vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
The only team the Cougars have lost to since November 2024 is Texas Tech. With the Red Raiders not on the schedule this season, BYU has a shot to run through Big 12 play unscathed. That doesn’t mean the Cougars will finish undefeated, though. A highly anticipated visit from the Fighting Irish will be BYU’s first — and potentially only — loss.
No. 12 Texas Tech (4-0)
Oct. 24 at Cincinnati
The Red Raiders might not blow through the Big 12 as they did a season ago. A month into the season, they’ve already shown signs of vulnerability in closer-than-expected wins against Oregon State and Houston. And even the 2025 team that won the conference and made the CFP had a slip-up against Arizona State. That could happen against Cincinnati in the Brendan Sorsby Bowl. The Bearcats have been a big surprise this season, powered by a perfect home record.
No. 13 Utah (4-0)
Oct. 24 vs. No. 20 Houston
The Utes are off to a strong start under new head coach Morgan Scalley. Utah has been blowing teams out, and Kansas and Colorado seem destined for that fate in the next few weeks. Houston, however, is a much tougher out. The Cougars will be the first team the Utes will face that can run the ball as well as they can. And for what it’s worth, Houston has never lost to Utah.
© Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
No. 14 Iowa (4-0)
Oct. 3 vs. No. 5 Ohio State
The Hawkeyes are off to their best start since 2021. Accordingly, they have reached their highest ranking since then. But upon a closer look, Iowa eked out last-second wins against rival Iowa State and Michigan, neither of which are on par with the Buckeyes. Coach Kirk Ferentz’s teams are historically a tough out, but their recent meetings with Ohio State haven’t been close. They’re also sizable underdogs in this game, even though it’s at home.
- Related: Iowa Hawkeyes’ Trevor Lauck Shares What Makes Kirk Ferentz’s Program Different
No. 16 Mississippi State (4-0)
Oct. 3 vs. No. 7 Alabama
The Bulldogs have been one of the best stories of the season, as quarterback Kamario Taylor has powered them to a 4-0 start and their highest ranking since 2022. However, Mississippi State has had an Alabama problem since long before then. Alabama has won 16 in a row in the series, dating back to 2008. That streak will continue Saturday night.
No. 23 UCLA (4-0)
Oct. 10 at No. 15 Oregon
The Bruins have been reinvigorated by the arrival of coach Bob Chesney. But similarly to the Alabama-Mississippi State situation, UCLA has an Oregon problem. Wins against their former Pac-12 foe have been few and far between for the Bruins, and good luck beating the Ducks at Autzen Stadium. They’re 37-2 at home this decade.
Duke (4-0)
Oct. 23 at Virginia
This is your reminder that the Blue Devils are still the reigning ACC champions. Coach Manny Diaz’s team has won eight straight games dating back to last November. And Duke has a fair chance to build on that streak the next few weeks against Georgia Tech and North Carolina. But the conference championship game rematch on the road against the Cavaliers is where the run will end.
© Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
Virginia Tech (4-0)
Oct. 24 at Clemson
The Hokies have their first true test this weekend against the Panthers. Fun fact: This is the first unranked matchup between two 4-0 power conference teams in modern college football history. If Virginia Tech wins its ACC home opener, there’s a clear path to 6-0. The last time the Hokies had a start like that, some guy named Michael Vick was their quarterback. A trip to Death Valley is where the Hokies will take their first loss, though. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has never lost to Virginia Tech.
Nebraska (4-0)
Oct. 10 vs. No. 6 Indiana
The Cornhuskers are no strangers to strong starts followed by second-half collapses. This team might maintain its momentum into October and November, but not against the Hoosiers. Nebraska will beat Maryland this weekend. The fun ends the following Saturday against the defending champs, though.
- Related: Ranking All 138 College Football Teams After Week 4
Cincinnati (4-0)
Oct. 3 at Arizona
Coach Scott Satterfield was starting to feel the heat, and Sorsby’s departure left the offense in a tough spot. No matter; Cincinnati is off to its best start since it ran the table in 2021. It should be noted, though, that all of those games were at home. The Bearcats hit the road this weekend for a late kickoff against the Wildcats, which puts Cincy in a tough spot.
James Madison (4-0)
Bowl Game/College Football Playoff
The Dukes have not lost to a non-Power 4 opponent since November 2024. And by the look of their upcoming schedule, it’s hard to see them dropping a conference game the rest of the way (or their remaining non-conference game at UConn). The question for coach Billy Napier and JMU is whether a perfect record will be enough to return to the CFP without a power conference opponent to acquit themselves against. If not, the Dukes may have to settle for a bowl bid.
- Related: How Billy Napier’s Florida Tenure Shaped His Second Act in the Sun Belt
© Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
North Dakota State (4-0)
Oct. 24 at New Mexico
The Bison have been as advertised. It didn’t take long for them to adjust to life in the FBS. North Dakota State has scored 30-plus points in every game and has been blowing out opponents. Its next big test is on the road against UNLV in a few weeks. But provided the Bison get past the Rebels — who have hardly been the team many expected them to be — a trip to face the new conference frontrunner Lobos will likely be their first taste of defeat since they transitioned.
Pittsburgh (4-0)
Oct. 3 at Virginia Tech
This result was already spoiled in the Hokies’ blurb. The Panthers have been a different team against similarly resourced competition this season. They have outscored FCS and G6 opponents 118-27 compared to a 39-20 edge over P4 teams. Friday’s game will also be their first on the road, and James Franklin’s arrival has reinvigorated Lane Stadium, typically a tough environment to play in.
South Florida (4-0)
Oct. 8 at UTSA
The Bulls are perhaps the flimsiest undefeated team still standing. They did pull off an upset at Army, but victories over FIU and Bowling Green were underwhelming. Coach Brian Hartline’s squad should keep it going this week when Temple comes to Tampa. However, a trip to American Conference favorite UTSA the following week will be a wake-up call for USF.
UMass (4-0)
Oct. 10 vs. Miami (Ohio)
Who would have thought the Minutemen — the only winless team in 2025 — would be undefeated at any point this season? UMass started with a win against Rutgers and has kept it going since. Admittedly, two of those teams were FCS squads and another (Sacramento State) just moved up from that level. But this offense is legitimate and UMass should handle Eastern Michigan at home. Beating the Redhawks at home is a bridge too far, though.
